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Dene hunter investigated for allegedly illegally harvesting caribou

Wildlife officials are investigating a Dene hunter for allegedly illegally harvesting caribou in N.W.T.

Rifle and caribou meat confiscated from Ted Tsetta, former chief of N’dilo

Wildlife officials are investigating a Dene hunter for allegedly illegally harvesting caribou in N.W.T. (The Associated Press)

Wildlife officials are investigating a Dene hunter for allegedly illegally harvesting caribou in the N.W.T.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has confiscated a rifle and caribou meat from Ted Tsetta, a former chief of N’dilo.

Officials said the alleged incident occurred in the North Slave region.

New territorial regulations went into effect in December stating that resident hunters are allowed to harvest one bull from the Beverly and Ahiak barren-ground caribou herds and the Slave River Lowlands bison herd.

Bluenose East caribou still remain off-limits.

Wildlife officials did not release any information on which herd Tsetta allegedly hunted from.

According to Tsetta, a member of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, the Dene Nation is handling the matter on his behalf.

Dene National Chief Bill Erasmus, who is also the Assembly of First Nations' regional chief for the N.W.T., told CBC News his organization doesn’t have anything to say at this point.

with files from CBC's Juanita Taylor